Doctor Who - The Trial Of A Time Lord [1986]

This box set consists of all four linked stories that comprised the 23rd series of Doctor Who alongside a generous helping of extra features. The not exactly thrilling story arc for the season is of the Doctor being put on trial by the Time Lords (which wasn't original either; it had been done in 'The War Games' in 1969), the effect this has is that the series contains endless scenes in a dull courtroom set.The first story of the season is known as 'The Mysterious Planet'. The story features some good dialogue and there are some charming scenes of the Doctor and Peri conversing as friends and leaving their sniping from the previous series behind. The model work at the beginning is spectacular and the two robots are well designed. Otherwise this story is fairly average and is hampered by the trial sequences.Next up is 'Mindwarp' which is, for me at least, the highlight of the series by a wide margin. The sets, lighting and spine tingling incidental music are all outstanding and the effects used to realise the surface of Thoros Beta are impressive. The performances are generally superb especially from Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Patrick Ryecart, Nabil Shaban and Christopher Ryan. Colin Baker actually gives two fabulous performances; first as the compassionate, good natured Doctor and then as the chilling, sadistic Doctor later on.Brian Blessed's overacting is entirely consistent with his warlord character King Yrcanos, and there is a very touching subplot involving Yrcanos and his fellow soldier Dorff who has been turned into a werewolf like creature by the mentors. Sil is even better here than he was in 'Vengeance on Varos' and the script is often very amusing (there is a hilarious scene in which an elderly mentor is exasperated by Brian Blessed's loudness). The ending is extremely dramatic and heartbreaking and Colin Baker makes it all the more so by portraying the Doctor's reaction to it so perfectly.The series continues with 'Terror of the Vervoids'. What should be a straightforward whodunnit with monsters thrown in seems far more complicated than it needs to be. The Vervoids look a bit silly and the incidental music is often grating. Nonetheless this is still consistently entertaining and it has three well constructed cliffhangers. The story is also notable for being the debut of Bonnie Langford as companion Mel, sadly Langford isn't cut out for Doctor Who and is irritatingly chirpy.'The Ultimate Foe' concludes the season in disappointing fashion. It's not exactly bad but it evokes memories of 'The Armageddon Factor at the end of the Key to Time season; it just isn't a very satisfying conclusion to such a long story arc. The troubled writing of this story accounts for this. Judged on its own it's fairly good. Memorable aspects include the Master's appearance, the cliffhanger and Geoffrey Hughes' performance as Mr Popplewick.When watching this series I think it's important not to consider it as a single fourteen part story as it starts to fall apart due to inconsistencies (Why does the Valeyard present the Doctor's jaunt to Ravalox as evidence when covering up the Doctor's visit is the purpose of the trial?). It works considerably better if considered as four separate stories as all four have elements to recommend them, especially 'Mindwarp'. Colin Baker's performance throughout is very strong and these stories show what a great Doctor he could have been if given more of a chance.So the stories are good overall but really it's the extras that elevate this set to essential purchase territory. Across the four discs there are 'Making of' documentaries for the four segments which are all worth a look, as well as 'The Lost Season' which looks at the stories lined up for series 23 before the cancellation/hiatus. 'Don't leave me this way' is an entertaining documentary in which various talking heads provide analysis of Doctor Who cliffhangers, there are some music videos of the title sequences and the (rather good) theme music which was sadly only used for this season and there is also the obligatory 'coming soon' trailer. But the best extra is 'Trials and Tribulations' a near hour long documentary about Colin Baker's time as the Doctor and the cancellation/hiatus crisis. The talking heads are all brutally honest and this is one of the best Doctor Who documentaries ever.On the whole this is a fantastic box set which lays bare the myth that Colin Baker's era as the Doctor was a total washout.

Trial of a Timelord saw Doctor Who's return from its supposed 18 month hiatus, (in reality it only actually arrived back on screen around 7 months later than normal,)After the tour de force of Colin bakers first season which really was one of the best Who seasons ever with some cracking stories, realistic violence and a great companion/ Doctor relationship in the sixth Doc and Peri, (and none of this mushy mushy romantic rubbish a la new series)the news that Season 23 would be a linked season in the vein of The key To Time was quite intriguing.What wasn't so good to hear was that the episode count had been reduced to around half.well, actually it hadn't as the previous season had the same number of episodes, they were 45 mins instead of 25 minutes.However this year we were back to 25 mins but only half as many as season 21..... effectively halving the airtime of the new season.This no doubt after the fact that the future of the show was in doubt.This was where it all started to go wrong.The intervention of Mary Whitehouse in complaing of the violence and content of last years stories, notably Attack of the Cybermen and Vengeance on Varos, had left the shows production staff pandering to her whim and the new season promised a higher humour content instead..Also, the new companion played by Bonnie Langford ushered in the start of pantomime acting and 'guest names' to boost ratings; a decidedly unwise strategy where celebrities were often given unsuitable roles and hammed it up unmercilessly.Doctor Who became a comedy pantomime in space..This only hastened the end.Other bad points about this season, (did i mention Bonnie langford?)are;1; the badly written and confusing second story Mindwarp (eps 5-8) where the denouement is 'wrong' and we only get to find out what really happened in the last episode!! Bad, bad, bad!!2; The clumsy and extremely unlikely way Peri was written out;( i doubt she would ever have forgiven the Doctor, or the writer for that matter!)3; A robot who couldn't walk due to his design seemingly being a reject from the Blue peter Design a Naff robot competition..4; The Vervoids; which all look like giant phallusses..5; The confusing( to the viewer) bits where we see what didn't really happen in the story, er, by seeing it in the story... This could have been executed much more clearly.6 The CRAP arrangemnet of the theme tune, (but not as woeful as the Seventh doctor one next year.)7; The black Hole of Tartarus, which looks uncomfortably like something being flushed down a large toilet. The show, perhaps?8; carrot juice. Enough said.9, Bonnie Langford?10; Bonnie Langford.The GOOD points;1; The terrific idea of the Valeyard, (i won't give away what it is as it will kill the suspense, and you'll need all you can get.)2; The Master pops up, effortlessly played by Anthony Ainley, and we get to see inside his wonderful black Tardis.3; The opening effects. Yes, they ARE good. So good they used them twice, but for 1986, they were very impressive and stand up fairly well today.4; The last two episodes. dark in tone, and they hark back in style to the Deadly Assassin.5; Colin baker. Brilliant performance as ever, and quite poignant when you realise that he never got to come back to the show the following year due to the disastrous decision to replace him with Sylvester McCoy.6; It was a good idea, but could have been done so much better. For example the past section could have featured a previous Doctor....7; Sabalom Glitz played by Tony Selby, as a kind of Space Del Boy with a loveable rogue twist.8; The Trialroom. Very Timelordy9 The Inquisitor. Played by Linda Bellingham very well.10; The verbal sparring between the Doctor and the Valeyard. It lifted the show above the sometimes tedious script.So, all in all, deeply flawed, but fascinating in the kind of way a road accident is; You know its going to end badly, but you can't help watching it anyway.It is Doctor Who, but a shadow of its Season 22 self...